


Across the Valleys at Sundown

by carinatae



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Breathing Exercise, Comfort, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Meditation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2016-09-24
Packaged: 2018-08-17 01:14:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8124868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carinatae/pseuds/carinatae
Summary: Self-doubt keeps you awake.





	

Drift had more holdovers from being a Decepticon than he liked to admit. Things like slightly sharpened canines, a strip missing from his spark chamber, a crippling sense of guilt, and the instinctive reaction on being abruptly woken to reach for his guns.

His fingers closed on nothing and he jolted upright before remembering where he was.

"Frag, Drift, sorry- I'll go-"

"Mnh, Roddy? Wait, what's wrong?"

He reached out, grabbed hold of an arm and tugged him over again. The room was still pitch black, lit only by the light from their optics and his captain's biolighting - he didn't even want to know what time it was. Rodimus' gaze flicked down and he pulled back against Drift's grip.

"It's nothing, it's stupid-"

"Can't sleep?"

Rodimus shook his head and let himself be pulled all the way over,so that they were lying side by side on Drift's berth. He didn't ask for details or demand explanations - he never did - instead entwining his fingers round Rodimus', stroking gently as they both stared up at the ceiling of the habsuite.

"I just... you think this is the right thing to be doing, right? I mean, all we've done so far is take off, and now five people are dead, and Ratchet isn't sure about most of the others that got blown out, and... and I don't think I can _do_ this."

Drift let the flow of words come to an end before speaking himself.

"It's going to be okay. We're going to find the Circle, and then we'll find the Knights."

His vocaliser buzzed gently as he tried to hit the best pitch to improve the flow of soothing energy in the room. Rodimus' vents hitched and stuttered in the dark and he tightened his grip on Drift's hand convulsively.

"I don't- I just don't want anyone else to die because of me."

Drift warmed the colour of his optics to a more calming blue and turned his head to look at Rodimus, keeping his voice soft as his fingers spoke their own reassurances, signing the word for peace over and over against his palm.

"Do you want to try counting vents again?"

"Mmkay."

"Okay. In-vent for four, ex-vent for four."

Rodimus did so, Drift kept his own vents in sync as he counted out loud in a low murmur. Slowly the sound of stressed fans spun down as he just focused on the air moving in and out and the sound of Drift's voice. After a few minutes he turned and curled into Drift's side, keeping their hands held together.

"Sorry for waking you up."

"It's fine."

"Mhm..."

Drift didn't think there was much point in going back into recharge himself, he had the early shift after all. Instead he stayed alert, maintaining the little well of calm they'd made, happy that he could at least do this much. Everything was going to work out fine, he'd _seen_ it, he would make sure of it. No matter what.

_Because you're important._

He didn't realise he'd said the last part out loud until a faint, sleepy, "you're important too" was mumbled into his plating.


End file.
